In the Garden: July 24, 2014

In the Garden: July 24, 2014

It may be something we forget about, but fertilizing your plants can be important throughout the entire growing season.josh hodell is in the garden this morning with more.

(Josh)we are back with this weeks in the garden with the greenhouse project. With me is penn state master gardener Phyllis Reinhardt. Phyllis we need to fertilize throughout the entire growing season, why?

(Phyllis)because normally we would use dry fertilizer when we are planting the plants, and then we tend to forget. But actually like us, they need food to grow throughout their growing season. And for that it is very simple to use a liquid fertilizer. We use organic fertilizer here.

There are basically three major nutrients that we do want to feed a plant throughout the growing season. The first one, the first number that you see here, that is your nitrogen.

(Josh)what is that for?

(Phyllis)nitrogen helps your leaves grow.

(Josh)ok, what's the second?

(Phyllis)the second is your phosphors. That is for your roots.

(Josh)and the third?

(Phyllis)is for the blossoms and your fruit.

(Josh)got it. Now if we fertilize all through the growing season, we are guaranteed success?

(Phyllis)well. You know there are other things. We could have a very wet rain season. We could have not a lot of sun. So, you know there is a combination of sun, rain, and nutrients to create a wonderful crop such as we see right here.

(Josh)so it is just a part of the garden equation.

(Phyllis)it is part of the growing equation.

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